After All These Years
by Lilypad96
Summary: Picks up 2 years after Cathy and Jamie's divorce. They go their own separate ways and reconnect later on in life. These are for the people who wanted closure and a happy ending!


**Everytime I watch this movie/musical or listen to the soundtrack I always cry and wish they had gotten together in the end. So, I decided to make my own version of what happened after they broke up. This story is cheesy, but I'm not a brilliant writer like Jamie (:**

 **2 years later after Jamie and Cathy's divorce.**

She moved to California and decided to do film. Lee, a screenwriter, for the movie Cathy was auditioning for opens the door. He had to speak to one of the casting people and stopped her in the middle of her audition. She wasn't fazed by his rude interruption. Lee looked at her she seemed so familiar. The casting director asks "What did you need, Mr. Sanders?" "Actually it doesn't matter. What is your name?" she replies, "Cathy Hiatt." "Guys would it be okay if I read with Cathy during her audition?" One of the casting advisors says, "Sure, I don't see why not." Cathy astonished that this man would even give her the time of day. The audition ends. Lee begins to speak, "Cathy I would love to see you read again tomorrow at 2:00 pm." Cathy stunned, "Oh… uh of course. Thank you! Thank you so much."

A week later Cathy gets a call. She got the part. It was in movie theatre's everywhere. Cathy Hiatt, a big time star.

Lee- Oh Cathy, Hey.

Cathy- Lee! I wanted to thank you again.

Lee- Honestly no need. You were the best for the part.

Cathy- I still feel like I owe you. How about dinner? (Surprised how that slipped out. She hasn't been on a date in 16 months)

Lee- You know, I would love to.

 **Dinner**

Cathy- So why me?

Lee- You want the truth?

Cathy- Well… yes.

Lee- You looked like someone I had seen in a play many years ago.

Cathy- Well I had done stage work, but not around here.

Lee- …Where?

Cathy- Well mainly… In Ohio… I try not to think about it though.

Lee- Oh my God. Cathy I saw your shows.

Cathy- Oh… you did? They were awful I know. I'm so sorry you saw them.

Lee- They did suck didn't they? (They both laugh) But you were phenomenal. You really stuck out. Looking at you on stage made everything in life seem attainable. I was struggling to get anyone to even read my works. I would go and watch plays for inspiration and because I lived in Ohio that summer theatre program was the only place nearby that was really worth doing around there. I almost gave up on it all and told my parents that I would go back to college and get a practical career. I know this sounds cheesy. But I could see how determined you were. It gave me a reason to keep writing. I went back to college, but on the side I continued to write and get better. Then one day it all happened. I was at the right place at the right time and my career in screenwriting took off.

Cathy- (How am I always managing to be someone's muse) that is funny how it all came full circle.

Lee- Now we are here together. Somebody I thought I would never see again. I want to thank you for giving me a reason to go after my dreams.

Cathy- (Smiles)

 **20 years later**

Cathy's cell phone begins to ring, she digs in her purse and answers the call, "Hey Cathy, It is Serena I need you to fly to New York for the Musical, After All These Years, The director is highly considering you to play the protagonist." Cathy replies, "Alright I will be there. Tell my husband I am booking a flight for tonight and that I will call him when I am in New York."

A week later Cathy gets the role for the lead, Vandy.

Director- Hello Mrs. Sander's it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I am a huge fan of your work.

Cathy- Well it is a huge honor to be here, Sam. I haven't been on stage since I was 28 years old.

Sam- Well I would like for us to have a read through then afterwards, I would love if you would grab a coffee with me and our musical playwright.

Cathy- Sounds perfect I will meet you there at…-

Sam- 3 pm sound good?

Cathy- Great.

 **Coffee Shop at 3 pm**

Cathy sits down and waits for Sam, she hears her name called from the table across the room.

Man- Cathy, Hey…

Cathy- Jamie, What are you doing here?

Jamie- Yeah, I'm actually here to meet with you and Sam.

Sam- (She walks in and gives Jamie a huge hug) Hey sweetie glad you could make it.

Cathy dumbfounded. (What the hell is going on… Are they together? Is this some sick joke?)

Jamie- Well I couldn't miss an opportunity to see—

Cathy- I don't mean to be forward, but are you two together?

Sam and Jamie- busts out laughing

Jamie- Nooo-

Sam- I'm married!

Jamie- to a woman!

Cathy- (It has been so long I forgot how bright his smile was. He still looks the same as he did 22 years ago… Oh my God… He wrote this musical about us. I'm seriously still a reason for his success and now I have to be here with him all over again)

Jamie- Cathy are you okay?

Cathy- fine… I'm doing just fine.

Sam- (phone rings) "Hey sweetie, yes I can pick up Jacob. Its fine I've got someone who can fill in for me. I love you too. Alright. Buh-bye." I've got to go, Jamie you got this?

Jamie- Yeah, go.

Cathy- (oh nooo, now we are alone how uncomfortable can this get) Sooo uhhh… you wrote the musical? Thought you were just a novelist?

Jamie- Well I wrote the dialogue… It was a team effort. I know what you are thinking and it isn't about us.

Cathy- Heh, it isn't?

Jamie- No it's not.

Cathy- The story is literally about a failed marriage who then meet later on in life and reconnect. Not very original, I might add.

Jamie- Wasn't my idea. I just wrote from first-hand experience. The reconnecting part was actually the easiest part to write.

Cathy- How so?

Jamie- You cross my mind all the time… I couldn't help imagining all the ways we would see each other again. I loved you a lot and I'm happy to see how successful you are now. I never stopped believing in you.

Cathy- Well I had to do it on my own.

Jamie- Yeah you did… It was for the best for us to go separate ways.

Cathy- Yeah it was… (brushes her hair back)

Jamie- (notices her ring on her left hand) You're married.

Cathy- 15 years now.

Jamie- (10 more years I couldn't give to you…) That is a long time.

Cathy- I have a child too, he might be yours… (Laughs trying to lighten the mood) I'm kidding, no kids.

Jamie- (laughs) I missed your laugh. You look beautiful, Cathy.

Cathy- You look great too.

Jamie- Cathy… Do you ever wonder what had happened if we had gotten back together?

Cathy- We would have been miserable, Jamie. It took me so long to finally get over you. Our relationship just wasn't healthy. We were so young… I didn't know how to handle all of your success and resented you for it. I'm sorry for how I acted.

Jamie- It was my fault too. I didn't make our situation any better. I should have-

Cathy- Jamie, I'm glad it happened, not you cheating on me of course... The way it ended was tragic. But I learned so much from those 5 years of being by your side… I would never trade it for anything else.

Jamie- (Eyes glisten) Are you happy Cathy?

Cathy- I am… I just needed some time to figure it out.

 **The next five years…**

Cathy and Jamie are in there early 50's touring the United States with their Musical, All These Years. Lee had past away in a horrific air plane crash a year after Cathy and Jamie's encounter in the coffee shop. Cathy and Jamie had stayed friends for the next three years. Cathy had made it clear to Jamie that she needed him as a friend. Jamie staying by her side waiting for her to give him one more chance.

Jamie- (At Cathy's apartment, knocks on her door) Cathy it's me, Jamie.

Cathy- (Clearly had been crying) Hey, come in! (pretends like everything is fine)

Jamie- what is wrong and don't say nothing.

Cathy- (She looks at him and the tears begin rolling right along her cheek) I was going through an old video album of Lee and me on my computer. I watched the video of us on a vacation at the mountains in Colorado. I felt so guilty because I had forgotten the sound of his voice. 17 years of knowing the man I loved and I had already forgotten—(cries uncontrollably)

Jamie- Baby… (wipes away her tears as she keeps crying profusely) Cathy it is okay for you to not remember his voice. It is okay for you to move on. He loved you and he wouldn't want you to feel guilty for that. He wants you to be happy. I want you to be happy.

Cathy- Jamie… What about you? Why are you putting your life on hold for me? Don't you want to be happy?

Jamie- I'm happy being here with you… Because maybe someday you might change your mind. So I keep waiting until tomorrow for you to maybe say Hello instead of Goodbye.

Cathy- Jamie I don't know…

Jamie- Cathy… You don't have to know. But when you do, I'll be here.

 **The next morning**

They have fallen asleep in each other's arms

Jamie- I'm sorry I didn't mean to fall asleep here. I'll get my things and go.

Cathy- No wait… (Turns him toward her and kisses him as if it was their first kiss so many years ago) Hello…

Jamie- (smiles) Hello.

 **The End**

Writer's notes

Can you taste all that cheese? I love it though. I hope you liked it. The movie/musical shows an accurate depiction of a relationship and it is definitely not a movie to watch if you want a happy ending. I completely respect the writer's choice on them breaking up in the end (In the Last 5 Years). But the ending is in a way an open ending. After all these years it is possible for them to fall in love all over again. This time as different people. I wanted to throw some lyrics in the dialogue as subtle as I could. I pulled lyrics from Still hurting, Goodbye until Tomorrow/I could never Rescue you, The Schmuel song, The Next Ten Minutes, and probably some other ones. I would kind of change up the words a bit to make it flow. The ending seems a bit forced, but I do like it, has a very "musical ending" especially when the last thing they say to each other in the Last 5 years is "Goodbye", so I thought it would be appropriate for them to both say "Hello" at the end. Again I hope you enjoyed it. It gave me closure and that was really the whole point of me writing it. (Oh by the way, on Microsoft Word this story is 5 pages, it made me laugh)


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